HighStep for shafts and tunnels

Advantages of the application for wind power plants

Safety

The HighStep System offers its user multiple safety features through a firmly fixed connection to the HighStep Rail. The connection of the HighStep climbing devices to the HighStep Rail ensures to safely climb and thereby making missteps or falls nearly impossible. The HighStep Rail can solely be climbed by using a HighStep climbing device and therefore prevents any unauthorised access.

Flexibility

The HighStep Rail is extremely simple to install and can either be set up when newly building a wind power plant or alternatively as an upgrade for existing wind turbines. The equipment of new wind power plants with the HighStep System offers a high degree of flexibility in terms of how the mounting takes place (e.g. with the user’s front or back facing the tower’s wall). The HighStep Rail is bendable and therefore also suited to tackle overhanging angles. In case of an upgrade, the HighStep Rail will simply be mounted on the existing climbing solution (normally a ladder) allowing to immediately access the wind turbine’s nacelle via the HighStep Lift or any other HighStep climbing device.

As the HighStep Rail is permanently installed on the structure the user solely needs to carry along his climbing device, HighStep Easy & Protector or HighStep Lift to access all communication towers that are equipped with the HighStep Rail.

Resulting benefits:

Quick and easy installation

One climbing device enables the user to access all structures equipped with the HighStep Rail

Climbing device can individually be chosen

Climbing devices are quickly ready to use

Demografic effect

According to statements of industry segments associated with high workplaces, a shortage of younger work-force can currently be observed on one side whilst an increasing number of mature employees are forced to go into early retirement on the other. In many cases severe joint and back problems are to blame for forcing experienced employees to stop work at a stage where they have not reached retirement age.

The HighStep System has been developed to tackle the resulting dilemma by minimizing the occurring forces on the user when climbing. This is achieved by supporting the user with a climbing device that allows to climb in a more natural and ergonomic way by particularly reducing the forces targeting the user’s arms and the upper-body parts. Whilst HighStep Easy & Protector already offer great benefits compared to traditional climbing solutions HighStep Lift is particularly well designed to keep experienced employees in the field for a longer period of time.

Resulting benefits:

Reduces forces and effects that are affecting the users physical condition when climbing

System is also suited for more mature or partially handicapped employees

Tackles the "demografic-effect" in the Western world

Ergonomics

Ergonomic climbing is one of the outstanding advantages of the HighStep System. Moving along the Rail involves exactly the same movements as climbing stairs with the advantage that the height of each step can be chosen according to any individual preference. HighStep Easy is designed to support the user by taking of any pressure on its arms and upper-body parts as climbing solely results out of the user’s leg movements.

HighStep Lift is the ultimate comfortable experience to access the wind turbine’s nacelle, the worker reaches the high-level workplace relaxed and rested. HighStep Lift is the only elevator on the market that can be added as an upgrade for existing wind turbines in a simple and cost-efficient way.

Resulting benefits:

Reduced use of force

Erconomic and natural movement sequence

Flexible height of steps

No pressure on arms and upper-body parts

Can be used as a resting patform

Maintenance

The HighStep Rail generally requires no maintenance. The redundancy of maintenance covers all elements (rail, rail connection profiles and all standard parts used for assembly) that are permanently installed on the structure.

As a result, the cost for maintenance are very low over a lifetime and solely arise from service checkups on the climbing devices usually every two years.

Resulting benefits:

No need for constant inspections

Permanent reliability

Low maintenance costs

Profitability

A profitability calculation can be made for all long-lasting technical equipment, which compares the initial procurement cost with the long-term consequential costs and the benefits of the products. In any case, it has to be pointed out that choosing a system solely on the basis of the one-off investment cost may prove to be a very expensive mistake over the lifetime of the product. This applies particularly to climbing systems, because they are normally purchased for a service life of 20 years.

There are many subsequent cost such as engineering costs, cost for substructures or maintenance costs affecting the profitability. By using the HighStep Systems an operator can save most of these costs and simultaneously lowers the initial procurement costs through the simplicity that all HighStep products offer when initially set up or installed.